Boss 60
1965 The Rogues ?? 1965 Freehold Regional High School, Freehold, NJ (supporting The Chevelles) ?? 1965 Knights Of Columbus, Freehold, NJ ?? 1965 Freehold Elks Lodge, Freehold, NJ They also played a couple of private parties in 1965. The Castiles 1968 Earth Child February 22, 1969 The Upstage, Asbury Park, NJ (An early morning jam session featuring Springsteen with Vinnie Roslin (bass) and Big Bad Bobby Williams (drums) for "Rock Me Baby" & "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". Vini Lopez replaced Williams and Danny Federici also joined for an extended blues improvisation, which some suggest lasted some forty-five minutes. This would be the beginnings of a new band called Child (whose name would change to Steel Mill in late 1969). This event actually took place in the early hours of Sunday, February 23) February 28, 1969 The Upstage, Asbury Park, NJ (Springsteen, Vini Lopez, Vinnie Roslin, and Danny Federici again gather for some late night jamming/rehearsals) March 13, 1969 Pandemonium, Wanamassa, NJ (Springsteen and some members of Child perform at a Jam Sessions for local musicians seeking an opportunity to receive paid bookings at the club) March ?, 1969 Challenger Eastern Surfboards, Wanamassa, NJ (Child conducts it's first rehearsal at new manager Carl 'Tinker' West’s surfboard factory. Tinker, a legendary surfboard designer/shaper with San Diego based Challenger West Surfboards, had come to the Jersey shore in 1966 to set up a Challenger East business. Tinker (a guitarist and skilled harp player in his own right) had recently set up a concert promotion business called 'Blah Productions'. Tinker was interested in new artists who performed their own songs. It was Vini Lopez who knew Tinker and brought Bruce to meet him, resulting in Tinker agreeing to manage the group) April 2-4, 1969 Pandemonium, Wanamassa, NJ April 9-13, 1969 Pandemonium, Wanamassa, NJ April 20, 1969 Hullabaloo, Asbury Park, NJ May 2, 1969 Le Teendezvous, New Shrewsbury, NJ May 5, 1969 West End Park, Long Branch, NJ (a multi-artist outdoor event lasting all day, with Child performing early in the afternoon) May 11, 1969 Monmouth College, West Long Branch, NJ (an afternoon outdoor show with Track, Brother Duck, Southern Conspiracy and Child plus a closing acoustic performance by several Monmouth folk music students) May 23, 1969 Le Teendezvous, New Shrewsbury, NJ May 28-June 1, 1969 Pandemonium, Wanamassa, NJ (3 shows 7.00, 10.30 & 12.30, supporting The James Cotton Band on the 28th only. Solo appearances on the 29th-31st and supported by Nick Addeo on the 1st) June 1, 1969 Monroe Park, Richmond, VA (Free outdoor concert, supported by Brother Duck) June 7, 1969 Blessed Sacrament Regional School, Margate City, NJ (Graduation dance concert for 8th graders, supported by Tracks, who included bassist Peter Sweval and drummer Jeff Grob (aka Joe Dube), both of whom would soon form Looking Glass) June 13-14, 1969 The Auction Coffee House, Long Branch, NJ July 15-20, 1969 Pandemonium, Wanamassa, NJ (On the night of the 20th, man first walked on the moon and numerous TV monitors were installed within the Club for the occasion. This created a major distraction during Child’s performance, which upset some of the band members. An ensuing argument over the issue took place between the band and the Club’s manager and this turned out to be the last ever Child gig at this establishment) August 15-17, 1969 Student Prince, Asbury Park, NJ August 29, 1969 Oceanside Surf Club, Sea Bright, NJ September 1, 1969 Freak Beach, East Long Branch, NJ (An all day show featuring several local bands on the bill. There was also a jam session at the end of the day featuring different members of different bands together. Held on a makeshift stage on the beach) September 19-20, 1969 Free University Center, Richmond, VA October 15, 1969 Monmouth College, West Long Branch, NJ (Monmouth College's 1st National Vietnam Moratorium Protest Day) November 1, 1969 Virginia Commonwealth University Gym, Richmond, VA (supported by Rain. Following this show the band returned to New Jersey only to learn that another progressive rock band from Long Island, NY was not only using the name 'Child', but thst they’d also just released an album under that name on the Roulette Records label. Consequently, this gig is believed to have been the last gig performed prior to the band’s decision to change its name from Child to 'Steel Mill' (a name suggested by a friend of Vini Lopez) Steel Mill November 14, 1969 Monmouth College, West Long Branch, NJ (Held outside the Student Union Building and starting at 11.00am, with Child/Steel Mill performing a brief set. There were several folk singers that also performed short sets. The event was the start of Monmouth College’s day long Vietnam Peace Offensive, a prelude to the 2nd major National Moratorium demonstration held in Washington, DC the following day. At midnight rented buses were waiting to transport people down to Washington) November 20, 1969 Free University Center, Richmond, VA (supported by Mercy Flight, who replaced Morning Disaster) November 21-22, 1969 Randolph-Macon College Crenshaw Gymnasium, Ashland, VA (supporting (21st) Chicago Transit Authority, & (22nd) Iron Butterfly, with Natural Wildlife. The 21st an unusual 'alternating sets' structure. Chicago performed two 45 minute sets and Child/Steel Mill played about 45 minutes after each of Chicago's sets) December 12, 1969 Monmouth College Gym, West Long Branch, NJ (supported by Southern Conspiracy) December 20, 1969 Challenger Eastern Surfboards, Wanamassa, NJ (a 'farewell' gig to raise enough money for the trip to California) December 31, 1969 Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA (An outdoor New Year's Eve party that had been planned before the band arrived at Esalen. Sitting in with the band for their West Coast gigs was Richard Blackwell, a Freehold native that Springsteen had grown up with, and had found by chance staying at the Institute)